Handle tie



June 19, 1962 o. NIMYLowYcz 3,040,140

HANDLE TIE Filed Aug. 31, 1960 United States Patent "ice 3,040,140 HANDLE TIE Osyp Nimylowycz, Philadeiphia, Pa., assignor to I-T-E Circuit Breaker Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Aug. 31, 1960, Ser. No. 53,306 12 Claims. (Cl. 2011-50) This invention relates to manually operable circuit breakers and, more particularly, to novel means for tieing the handles of adjacent circuit breakers to permit simultaneous manual operation thereof, yet permit the handle of a tripped circuit breaker to move to a trip indicating position while still permitting the handle of the other circuit breaker to remain in the On position.

Low current rated circuit breakers of the type customarily utilized in the home and for lightl industrial applications are often tied together lfor simultaneous manual operation. Circuit breakers of this type are manually operable between two extreme positions to open and close the circuit breaker. When the circuit breaker is tripped, there is biasing means which urges the operating handle to an intermediate position to indicate the tripped condition.

When a pair of circuit breakers protecting different branch circuits are tied together for simultaneous operation, if a fault should develop in one of the branches, it is most desirable that the branch having the fault be readily deterrninable. This can best be done by observing the positions of the circuit breaker operating handles.

If there is a rigid tie between the circuit breaker handles, should one of the breakers trip, its handle ,will remain in the On position since the loading of the operating spring of the other circuit breaker cannot be overcome by the spring force of the tripped circuit breaker. Thus, it is necessary to provide a non-rigid type of connection between the operating handles of the circuit breakers in order that the handle of the tripped circuit breaker is free to move to trip indicating position while the handle of the other circuit breaker remains in the On position.

The prior art has attempted to solve the above noted problem by providing overlapping handle extensions held by rivets, by providing a tie bar held by screws and brackets, by providing male and female handle extensions engaging each other with ample clearance, by providing a swiveling stepped cylindrical tie held in oversize holes in the handles, and by providing a cylindrical tie held by a loose bar disposed in handle apertures. Thus, each of the prior art devices required the drilling of a hole or the milling of a slot in the handle in order to mount the handle tie. This is a very expensive operation in the case of circuit breakers presently in the iield, which are not provided with the requisite handle holes or slots.

Providing the hole or slot in the handle prior to the assembly of the circuit breaker is also a costly operation. That is, in the type of circuit breaker in question the handles are usually formed by a compression molding process. In order to provide the hole or slot in the handle, it is necessary to provide one or more additional rams for the mold, which merely increases the cost thereof, consequently increasing the cost oi the handle.

Accordingly, it is a primary object of this invention to provide a handle tie means and a novel means for mounting the handle tie which does not require that the handle to be provided with a hole or a slot. This is accomplished by providing a cap-like U-shaped clip for each of the handles. The clip is provided with inwardly lanced ears, so that by merely pushing the clip upon the handle the clip will remain mounted to the handle, since the ears firmly grip the handle.

The handle tie is an elongated open-ended channelshaped member, which is loosely fitted over both handles. The tie is provided with inwardly extending flanges which 3,040,140 Patented June 19, 1962 are positioned between the handles. These flanges cooperate with flanges extending =from the clips to retain the handle tie operatively mounted to the circuit breakers.

The manner in which the flanges cooperate in securing the handle tie to thecircuit breakers and the loose iit between the tie and the handles enable the handle of the tripped circuit breaker to move to a trip indicating position while the handle of the other circuit breaker remains in the On position.

Another object of this invention is to provide a novel handle tie of the type described and a means for mounting thereof, with both the handle tie and the mounting means being constructed of sheet material. Still another object is to provide a novel handle tie and mounting means therefor which is adapted to be utilized with existing circuit breakers without requiring any machining of the circuit breakers.

These as well as other objects of this invention will become readily apparent after reading the following description of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a pair of circuit breakers whose handles are operatively connected by the tie means constructed in accordance with the instant invention.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the circuit breaker combination of FIGURE l looking in the direction of arrows 2--2.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary end view of the circuit breaker combination of FIGURE l looking in the direction of arrows 3 3.

IFIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, with the handle tie shown in cross-section.

FIGURE 5 is a -fragmentary plan view of the circuit breaker combination with the handle tie cross-sections. This figure illustrates the tilted position of the handle tie when one of the circuit breakers is tripped.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view partly exploded to illustrate the relationship between the handle tie and the mounting clips.

Now referring to the figures. Circuit breakers 10, 11 are shown mounted adjacent to one another in side by side relationship. The circuit breakers are of the type fully described in U.S. Patent 2,773,949. As is well known to the art, when circuit breakersV of this type are mounted within a panel board, they are maintained suhstantially in the positions illustrated in FIGURE l. Each of the circuit breakers 1t), '11 is provided with a manually operating handle 12, which projects from the top of the circuit breaker housing. Handle 12 is pivotable from the On position, illustrated in the solid line representation of FIGURE 2, to the Off position, also illustrated in FIGURE 2. When the circuit breaker is tripped, the operating mechanism thereof biases handle 12 to a trip position which is intermediate the On and Off positions.

Handle tie 13 extends between operating handles 12 of both circuit breakers 10 and 11, so that both circuit breakers are simultaneously operable to the On and Oli positions, as will be more fully explained hereinafter. Handle tie 13 is an elongated member channel-like in shape having a generally inverted U-shaped cross-section.

Integrally formed flanges 14, 15, extending inwardly from the free ends of U arms 16, 17, respectively, are positioned between the handles 12 of circuit breakers 10, 11.- Flanges 14, 15 are narrower at the portions which connect to U arms i16, 17 than at the free ends thereof. rThis permits handle tie 13 to readily tilt to one side or t-he other when one of the circuit breakers 10, 11 trips, as is illustra-ted in the phantom position of handle tie 13 in FIGURE 5.

Handle tie 13 is operatively connected to circuit breakers 10, 11 by clips 20, 21 which are of identical construction,

so that only clip 20 will be hereinafter described in detail. Clip 20 is an inverted generally U-shaped member whose arms 22, 23 are provided with inwardly lanced ears 24, 25, respectively. The free end of arm 23 is provided with an outwardly extending flange 26, which cooperates with tie flanges 14, to lretain tie 13 in operative poistion. Clip is also provided with a pair of tabs 27, which extend downwardly yfrom the U web 28.

Clip 20 is pushed on to handle 12 with arms 22, 23 being 4disposed along the sides .of handle 12 and tabs 27 being disposed to the front and back of handle 12. As clip 20 is being mounted, lanced ears 24, 25 are forced outwardly, which effectively causes loading thereof. That is, clip 20 is constructed of a resilient metal, so that when ears 24, are moved from their normal positions 'of FIGURE 6, a biasing Iforce is established to urge ears 24, 25 back to their normal positions. Thus, the free ends of ears 24, 25 are urged against the sides of handle 12 and form a firm securing means which retains clip 20 to handle 12. It is to be noted that the flange 25 of circuit bre-aker 11 extends toward the ange 26' of the circuit breaker 10.

Handle tie 13 is placed in operative position by first spreading circuit breakers 10, 11 apart. This permits the tlanges 14, 15 of tie 13 to move below lianges 2'6 of clips 20. Thereafter, circuit breakers 10, 11 are moved adjacent to one another, as illustrated in the figures. In this position, flanges 26 are operatively positioned to cooperate with anges 14, 15, thereby preventing upward movement of handle tie 13. lIt is obvious that downward movement of handle tie 13 is prevented through the engagement of handle tie web 19 with the tops of handles 12, and sidewise movement of handle tie 13 is prevented by flanges 14, 1'5, which are locked by handles 12.

As best seen in FIGURE 5, if one of the circuit breakers 10, 11 should trip, say circuit breaker 10, its operating handle 12 may readily move to the trip position while the handle 12 of circuit breaker 1'1 remains in the yOn position. This is made possible by proportioning the width of tie Iweb 19 so that it is substantially greater than the front to back distance of handles 12, and also by properly dimensionng flanges 14, 15 with respect to the spacing between handles 12.

It is readily seen that manual operation of circuit breakers 10, 11 will be simultaneous, even though there is a slight amount of lost motion between handle tie 13 and operating handles 12. The widening of anges 14, 1-5 near the free end thereof serves to maintain handle tie 13 against undue tilting during manual operation.

Thus, this invention provides a novel construction for a handle tie and securing means therefor, so that the handle tie may readily be mounted to a pair of circuit breakers without the necessity of the circuit breakers being provided with holes or slots.

Although the invention herein has been described in connection with an exemplary embodiment, it is to be understood that Variations and modcations may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the following claims.

' I claim:

1. A first and a second circuit breaker arranged in adjacent side by side relationship with their operating handles in alignment; each of said handles being manually movable between a tirst and a second position to operate said circuit breakers On and Ofi, respectively; each of said handles being movable to a third position intermediate said first and said second positions upon tripping of said circuit breakers; a handle tie extending between both handles for simultaneous manual operation of both circuit breakers; individual means mounted to each of said handles for loosely retaining -said tie whereby the handle of one of said circuit breakers may move to its said third position while the handle ofthe other of said circuit breakers remains in its said first position; said individual means comprising a clip for each of said handles; each of said clips having integrally formed means for retaining said clip -mounted to said handle.

2. A first and a second circuit breaker arranged in adjacent side by side relationship with their operating handles in alignment; each of Said handles being manually movable between a first and a second position to operate -said circuit breakers On and Off, respectively; each of said handles being movable to a third position intermediate said first and said second positions upon tripping of said circuit breakers; a handle tie extending between both handles for simultaneous manual operation of both circuit breakers; individual means mounted to each of said handles for loosely retaining said tie whereby the handle of one of said circuit breakers may move to its said third position while the handle of the other of said circuit breakers remains in its said first position; said individual means comprising a clip for each of said handles; each of said clips having integrally formed means for retaining said clip mounted to said handle; said handle tie including flange means; each of said clips having liange means cooperating with the flange means of said handle tie whereby the latter is retained in operative position. Y

3. A first and a second circuit breaker arranged in adjacent side by side relationship with their operating handles in alignment; each of said handles being manually movable between a first and a second position to operate said circuit breakers On and Off, respectively; each of said handles being movable to a third posi-tion intermediate said first and said second positions upon tripping of said circuit breakers; a handle tie extending between both handles for simultaneous manual operation of both circuit break-ers; individual means mounted to each of said handles for loosely retaining said tie whereby the handle of one of said circuit breakers may move to its said third 4 position while the handle of the other of said circuit breakers remains in its said first position; said individual means comprising a clip for each of said handles; each of said clips having integrally formed means for retaining said clip mounted to said handle; said handle tie including flange means; each of said clips having flange means cooperating with the flange means of said handle tie whereby the latter is retained in operative position; each of said clips comprising a U-shaped member with the ange means extending outwardly from the free end of one of the U-arms; said clips being positioned with the flange means extending toward each other.

4. A first and a second circuit breaker arranged in adjacent side by side relationship with their operating handles in alignment; each of said handles being manually movable between a first and a second position to operate said circuit breakers On and Off, respectively; each of said handles being movable to a third position intermediate said first and said second positions upon tripping of said circuit breakers; a handle tie extending between both handles for simultaneous manual operation of both circuit breakers; individual means mounted to each of said handles for loosely retaining said tie whereby the handle of one of said circuit breakers may move to its said third position while the handle of the other of said circuit breakers remains in its said first position; said individual means comprising a clip for each of said handles; each of said clips having integrally formed means for retaining `said clip mounted to said handle; said handle tie including flange means; each of said clips hav-ing flange means cooperating with the flange means of said handle tie whereby the latter is retained in operative position; each of said clips comprising a U-shaped member with the liange means extending outwardly from the free end of one of the U-arms; said clips being positioned with the flange means extending toward each other; said integrally formed means comprising an ear extending inwardly from at least one of the U-arms.

5. A first and a second circuit breaker arranged in adjacent side by side relation with their operating handles in alignment; each of said handles being manually movable between a rst and a second position to operate said circuit breakers On and Oi, respectively; each of said handles being movable to a third position intermediate said rst and said second positions upon tripping of said circuit breakers; a handle tie extending between both handles for simultaneous manual operation of both circuit breakers; individual means mounted to each of said handles for loosely retaining Said tie whereby the handle of one of said circuit breakers may move to its said third position -while the handle of the other of said circuit breakers remains in its said first position; said individual means comprising a clip for each of said handles; said handle tie comprising an elonga-ted channel of generally U-shaped cross-section encompassing the handles of both of said circuit breakers and loosely fitted thereto.

6. A iirst and a second circuit breaker arranged in adjacent side by side relationship with their operating handles in alignment; each of said handlm being manually movable between a iirst and a second position to operate said circuit breakers On and Off, respectively; each of said handles being movable to a third position intermediate said irst and said second positions upon tripping of said circuit breakers; a handle tie extending between both handles for simultaneous manual operation of both circuit breakers; individual means mounted to each of said handles for loosely retaining said tie whereby the handle of one of said circuit breakers may move to its said third position while the handle of the other of said circuit breakers remains in its said irst position; said i11- dividual means comprising `a clip for each of said handles; said handle tie comprising an elongated channel of generally U-shaped cross-section encompassing the handles of both of said circuit breakers and loosely fitted thereto; a liange means inwardly extending from at least one of the arms of said channels; said flange means being positioned between said handles; said ange means cooperating with means carried by said clips whereby said handle tie is retained in operative position.

7, A first and a second circuit breaker arranged in adjacent side 'by side relationship with their operating handles in yalignment; each of said handles being manually movable between a iirst and a second position to operate said circuit breakers On and Oif, respectively; each of said handles being movable to a third position intermediate said iirst and said second positions upon tripping of said circuit breakers; a handle tie extending between both handles for simultaneous manual operation of both circuit breakers; individual means mounted to each of said handles for loosely retaining said tie whereby the handle of one of said circuit breakers may move to its said third position while .the handle of the other of said circuit breakers remains in its said first position; said individual means comprising a clip for each of said handles; said handle tie comprising an elongated channel of generally U-shaped cross-section encompassing the handles of both of said circuit break-ers and loosely tted thereto; a flange means inwardly extending from at least one of the arms of said channels; said flange means being positioned between said handles; said flange means cooperating with means carried by said clips whereby said handle tie is retained in operative position; said channel being open ended 8. A irst and a second circuit breaker arranged in adjacent side by side relationship with their operating handles in alignment; each of said handles being manually movable between a first and a second position to operate said circuit breakers On and Off, respectively; each of said handles being movable to a third position intermediate said first and said second positions upon tripping of said circuit breakers; a handle tie extending between both handles for simultaneous manual operation of both circuit breakers; individual means mounted to each of said handles for loosely retaining said tie whereby the handle of one of said circuit breakers may move to its said third position while the handle of the other of said circuit -breakers remains in its said first position; said individual means comprising a clip for each of said handles; said handle tie comprising an elongated channel of generally U-shaped cross-section encompassing the handles of both of said circuit breakers and loosely itted thereto; a iiange means inwardly extending from at least one of the arms of said channels; said flange means being positioned between said handles; said iiange means cooperating with means carried by said clips whereby said handle tie is retained in operative position; each of said clips comprising a U-shaped member having a ange outwardly extending from the -free end of one of its arms; said last recited anges comprising the means carried by said clips; said clips being positioned with their flanges extending toward one another.

9. A iirst and a second circuit breaker arranged in adjacent side by side relationship with their operating handles in alignment; each of said handles being manually movable between a first and a second position to operate said circuit breakers On and Gif, respectively; each of said handles being movable to a third position intermediate said lirst and said second positions upon tripping of said circuit breakers; -a handle tie extending between both handles for simultaneous manual operation of both circuit breakers; individual means mounted to each of said handles for loosely retaining said tie whereby the handle of one of said circuit breakers may move to its said third position while the handle of the other of said circuit breakers remains in its said irst position; said individual means comprising a clip lfor each of said handles; said handle tie comprising an elongated channel of generally U-shaped Icross-section encompassing the handles of both of said circuit breakers and loosely litted thereto; a liange means inwardly extending from at least one of the :arms of said channels; said ilange means being positioned between said handles; said flange means cooperating with means carried by said clips whereby said handle tie is retained in operative position; each of said clips comprising a `Ushaped member having a iiange outwardly extending from the free end of one of its arms; said last recited flanges comprising the means carried by said clips; said clips being positioned with their flanges extending toward one another; each of said clips having an integrally formed means comprising an ear inwardly extending from at least one of the clip arms; said ears being constructed and positioned to permit said clips to be readily mounted to said handles and after mounting -to retain said clips to said handles.

10. A lirst and a second circuit breaker arranged in adjacent side by side relationship with their operating handles in alignment; each of said handles being manually movable between a iirst and a second position to operate said circuit breakers On and Oif, respectively; each of said handles being movable to a third position intermediate said lirst and said second position upon tripping of said circuit breakers; a handle tie extending between both handles for simultaneous manual operation of both cir- .ouit breakers; individual means mounted to each of said handles for looselyr retaining said tie Iwhereby the handle of one of said circuit breakers may move to its said third position while the handle of the other of said circuit breakers remains in its said iirst position; said individual means comprising a clip for each of said handles; said handle tie comprising an elongated channel or generally U-shaped cross-section encompassing the handles of both of said circuit breakers and loosely itted thereto; a flange means inwardly extending from at least one of the arms of said channel; said flange means being positioned between said handles; said flange means cooperating with means carried by said clips whereby said handle tie is retained in operative position; said flange means being narrower at its juncture with said arms than at points of said iiange means remote :from said juncture whereby said handle tie may readily tilt when one of said circuit breakers is tripped.

1l. A first and a second circuit breaker arranged in adjacent side by side relationship with their operating handles in alignment; each of said handles being manually movable between a iirst and a second positionto operate said circuit breakers On and Off, respectively; each of said handles ybeing movable to a third position intermediate said tirst and said second position upon tripping of said circuit breakers; a handle tie extending between both handles for simultaneous manual operation of both circuit breakers; individual means mounted to each of said handles for loosely retaining said tie whereby the handle of one of said circuit breakers may move to its said third position while the handle o'f the other of said circuit breakers remains in its said first position; said individual means comprising a clip -for each of said handles; said handle tie comprising an elongated channel of generally U-shaped cross-section encompassing the handles of both of said circuit breakers and loosely fitted thereto; a flange means inwardly extending from at least one of the arms of said channel; said flange mean-s being positioned between said handles; said iiange means cooperating with means carried by said clips whereby said handle tie is retained in operative position; said flange means being narrower at its juncture with said arms than at points of said liange means remote `from said juncture whereby 1said handle tie may readily tilt when one oi said circuit `-breakers is tripped; each of said clips comprising a U- shaped member having a flange outwardly extending from the free end of one of its arms; said last recited iianges comprising the means carried by said clips; said clips being positioned with their lianges extending toward one another; each of said clips having an integrally formed means comprising an ear inwardly extending from at least one of the clip arms; said ears being constructed and positioned to permit said clips `to 'be readily mounted to 8 said handles and after mounting to retain said clips to said handles.

'12. A Ifirst and a second circuit breaker arranged in adjacent side by side relationship with their operating handles in alignment; each of said handles being manually movable between a rst and a second position to operate said circuit breakers On and OIT, respectively; each of said handles being movable to a third position intermediate said `first and said second positions upon tripping of said circuit breakers; a handle tie extending between both handles Yfor simultaneous manual operation olf both circuit breakers; individual means mounted to each of said handles `for loosely retaining said ftie whereby the handle of one of said circuit breakers may move to its said third position while the handle of the other of said circuit breakers remains in its said -iirst position; said in- Y dividual means comprising a clip for each of said handles; each of said yclips having integrally formed means for retaining said clip mounted to said handle; each of said clips having flange means cooperating with the flange means of said handle tie whereby the latter is retained in operative position; each of said clips comprising a U- shaped member with the flange means extending outwardly from the free end of one of the U-arms; said clips being positioned with the flange means extending toward each other; said handle tie and said clips each being comprised entirely of sheet material.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,703,827 Gelzheiser Mar. 8, 1955 V2,721,236 Williams Oct. 18, 1955 2,773,949 4Edmunds Deo. ll, 1956 

